Conveyor mounting for trucks



Aug. 12, 1947. V

CONVEYOR MOUNTING FOR TRUCKS Filed Nov. 9 1944 3 Sheets- Sheet l FIG-1 rm I g INVENTOR. 3 z/AJPER 6' 7711.1. 15

BY 2 %TTORNE Y .J. G. TULLIS 2,425,656

1947' JG G. TULLlS 2 425556 QONVEYOR MOUNTING FOR TRUCKS Filed Nov. 9,1944 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

fl rra RA/E Y Aug. 12, 1947.; J. G. TULLIS 2,425,656

CONVEYOR MOUNTING FUR TRUCKS Filed Nov. 9, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 zfiii E w WW A TraRA/Es/ INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 12, 1947 CONVEYOR MOUNTING FOB TRUCKS Jasper G. Tullis,Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland Formgrader Company,Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 9, 1944, Serial No.562,716

Claims. (Cl. 22429) This invention relates to an improvement in meansforloading and carrying on a motor vehicle a load handling mechanism suchas an elongated, power driven, portable conveyor unit for bulk materialsuch as coal, crushed stone, slag or the like, which unit is adapted tobe employed to move such bulk material from the body of the vehicle to aremote point. The above indicates the general object of the invention.

A furtherobject is to provide a hand operated winch mechanism adaptedfor quickly loading an elongated unit such as a portable conveyor into aside carrying position on a truck so that neither the winch mechanismnor the load projects laterally or otherwise interferes with safedriving of the truck.

Aspecific object is to. provide a side carrier mechanism operable tolift and support for transportation any desired distance the heavier endof a power driven conveyor unit so that the lighter opposite end of theunit may be comparatively easily swung and lifted bodily to a suitablecarrier or cradle at the opposite end of the vehicle. I Still anotherobject is to provide a crank operated winch mechanism as a side carrierand hoist for a dump truck, which mechanism although underhanging thedump body of the truck, will enable operation at good mechanicaladvantage and'quickly without interfering between the crank anddumpbody. c A further object is to provide a side hoisting andcarryingm'echanism for a truck arranged as a depending support for oneend of for example, a long conveyor unit, the parts and supporting meansof which mechanism are capable of stably supporting the unit, i. e.against pitching or swinging or being bounced off the support.

A further object 'is to provide a carrier bracket for one end of anelongated portable conveyor unit having an improved'means for safelysecuring the unit in" riding position without the use of hold-downchains or other'timestaking fastening means for transportation of theunit-any desired distance.

A further object is to provide awinch mechanism for purposes such asindicated above having a releasableself-locking ratchet mechanism ofreversible character. I

' Otherobjects andadvantages of the invention will become app rent fromthe following descrip tion of the preferred form shown in the drawingsin which i Fig. 1 is afragmentary side elevation showing, in outline,portions of an automobile truck with a dump body, the pivoted winchbracket and 2 forward carrier bracket being shown carrying a. typicalconveyorfor coal or the like;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the winch bracket, adjacent portions of thetruck and body being shown in broken lines; c

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the winch bracket and a rear portiononly of the conveyor, said view looking rearwardly along the vehicle andshowing the bracket swung to load pick-up or depositing position withreference to the vehicle;

Fig. i is a relatively enlarged side elevation of the winch bracket;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the same; .and

Fig 6 is a detail vertical cross sectional view showing a suitable formof pivot for the winch bracket.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, a forward portion of a highwayvehicle of a common type (dump body truck) is shown in outline ordiagrammatically at IL 'The vehicle parts so shown. include a frontwheel 2, cab 3, motor hood 4 and bumper 5. The main load carrying dumpbody 6 of the truck may be constructed as usual and mounted on thechassis by suitable means, not shown, enabling the load to'be dumped outat the rear. The bottom wall of the dump body 6, at one side, hassecured thereto, for the purpose of supporting the winch bracketmechanism hereof, a fairly heavy metal plate 9. The body 6 projectslaterally beyond the adjacent supporting frame at both sides, as isusual in coal trucks, a: portion of the right, hand frame sill of thetruck being indicated at l in Fig. 2. The overhang provides adequatespace for the entire winch mechanism without having the latter projectmaterially beyond the body-6 in any turned position of the mechanism. i

, The conveyor or truck unloaded is shown in outline at llLbeingsomewhat foreshortened'by omitting part of the forward end of theconveyor frame. The, particular conveyor mechanism has its ownpowerplane ll carried on a main motor mounting plate l3 of wide channelform. The motormount carries a suitable axle for a pair of wheels, oneof which isshown at H so that theconveyor, when dismounted from thetruck, may bewheeled about by one person supporting the lighter end ofthe conveyor. When themechanisms hereof are designed for use on theusualcoal truck, one person can easily handle the forward end. of theconveyor to lift it and to ,wheel the conveyor from place to place sincein the usualproportions the entire weight of the conveyor does notexceed three hundred and fifty pounds and the forward end usually weighsmuch less than one hundred pounds.

The motor H of the conveyor is arranged to drive an endless belt, notshown, looped at one end about a roller driven by the motor mechanismand at the opposite end on a similar roller partially shown at M in Fig.1.

The winch bracket- A hereof sh wn at the left in Fig. 1 has a rigidmetal top plate 20 pivotally secured as on a vertical bolt or stud 2| tothe heavy plate 9 on the under side of the dump body The two plates 20and 9 and the, securing bolt function as a fifth wheel construction. Thebracket A in normal conveyor=carryling position is wholly beneath thebody as will be 'appar'efi't' g from comparison of Figs. 2 and 3. Thebelt 2| as shown in Fig. 6 may be welded to the plate 9 at the shank 22of the bolt. The shank. turns snugly in a bearing opening 23 of theplate 20. The upper one of a pair of nuts 24 and 25, jammed together.and thereby locked, supports the plate 20 in sliding contact with theplate 9. A suitable bg'a-ring washer is shown at 26 beneath the plate 2Secured, as by Welding, to the topplate 20 of thewinch bracket are fourdepending structural frame members interconnected attheir lower ends; jThe'forward pair of frame members, chanriels ihdicatedat 21 and 28,extend vertically from the forward edge of the plate 20 andthe rearpair; shown as anglesZ-S and 30, extend obliquely forwardly from theposition of attachment to the plate 20 so that the lower ends of theangles- 29 andSB' are brought into overlapping relation to the lowerends of the channels 21 and 28. sen lower ends of the members 21 to 30are secured together by a rigid cross member *3 I which is preferablytubular. The ends of the tube may for instance he welded-respectivelyin-to aligned openings in the members 21 and 29 at one side of the frameandin the members 28 and 39 at the other side. At the rear of thebracket and between the members29 and 3D is an apron plate 32 extendingas shown from the plate 26 to the lower extremities. of the members 29and 30. The lower rear margin of. the apron is reinforced with a crossbrace33, see Fig.4, attached to the rear flanges of both members 29 and'39 and, op=- tio'nallyto the apron plate '32 as well. The lowermarginal portion of the apron cooperates with the. tubular cross piece3| and the vertically disposedsi'de flanges. of the structural members29 andfiil'to form a downwardly converging receivingpocket. for a flangeportion. of the motor m'o unt i3 of the conveyor asfwill be apparentfrom comparison of Figs. 4' and 5. v Y V While the various bracket,member's above d'escribed are preferably welded together they can besecured to each other in any other suitablefnarmehior instance by boltsor rivets and appi epriate attaching eonheotors.

The-winch mechanism on the bracket A comnses a drum 35 to which aicabl'e36 is secured, the cable passing forwardly from the drum over asupporting sheave :3! and then downwardly to afsheet meta-l hook 38suitably attached to the cable. The support for the drum is asubstantially 'rigidsh-aft. or tube 40 journalled in bearing plate;members 4| and 42 1 igi'd1y connected resll ilfiively; to the members'29 ahd 30. The drum may beef conventional construction. and. isfastened to "the shaft so as always to turntherewith. The shaft -40projects to one sideof the bracket A through a ratchet mechanismindicated geneiaiiy at 43 and the projecting end of the "shaft isdesigned demountably to receive a hand crank 44. The detachableconnection may, for exam ple, comprise a cross pin 45 on the shaft 40arranged to be engaged by parallel open slots in the crank, one of whichis shown at 46, Fig. 5. The crank is only attached to the shaft when itis desired to operate the drum, being ordinarily carried in the truck.The support for the cable guide sheave, 37 may be carried on the forwardportion of the plate 30 as in depending bracket or hearing members 47,Fig. 5.

Referring further to the ratchet mechanism 43, the same com rises, asshown, a wheel 50 secured rigidly to the shaft 40 against turningthereon, said'wheel having a series of uniformly spaced notches 5.:converging radially inwardly toward theaxis oi the wheel for engagementby the nose portion 52 of a sliding pawl, shown in the form of amt-153,carried by a pair of ears 54 on the side or the angle member 29. A coilspring 56 around the pin between the lower ear 54 and a fixed shoulder51- on the pawl urges the pawl toward the, ratchet wheel. The pinisturnably mounted' in the ears 54 so as to present the nose portion 52 tothe notches 5] in respective reversed positions when a tail portion 55of the pawl i's swung to the two positions indicated. when the tailportion is in the full line illustrated position, the nose portion 52 ofthe pawl then enables the drum to turn freely in a counterclockwisedirection (Fig. 4) such as will take in the cable 36' and the ratchetthen automatical 13'; holds the cable against being paid out. When thetail piece 55 of the pawl is swung into the position sh'owfn in brokenlines then the nose portion of the pawl is reversed with reference tothe notches 5| and the pawl acts as a ratchet pawl in enabling clockwiserotation of the drum but, automatically preventing counterclockwiserotation. The advantage of the reversible pawl and ratchet arrangementwill be brought out later hereih Referring further to the "conveyor ortruck unloader 'lEl, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the horizontalweb B0 ofthegenerally channel-shaped member I 13 forming the sin of the motor mountis extended rearwardly beyond the motor mechanism and provided with '3.depending: flange 6'1 at the rear end. The flange extends substantiallyacross the entire rear edge of the web 60. The cablesupported member 38has its hook portion 38a substantially complementary to the flange 6| orso as snugly to. receive the flange, thereby to lift the relativelyheavy motor-mechanism-supportin-g end of the conveyor by means of thecable and winch when the aroma. turned in the proper direction. 1 v

The flange '6! of the motor, mount l"3 is shown in partially raisedposition in run lines in Fig. 4 suspended by the hook and cable. Thecarrying position of the motor mount on the bracket. mechanism A hereofis indicated in broken lines in Fig. 4 and it will be noted that theflange 6'I has been swung as by endwise rearward bodily movement of theconveyor so that. a rear portionof the web rests on the tubular crossmember 3-! with the; flange disposed in the receiving pocket formedbetween said member and. the apron 32. Thus endwise movement, or theconveyor in carrying position is limited to. a small amount by the apronand cross bar. The horizontal length of the flange 61 is suc htha't theconveyor has-also very little-side play. The flange 6| is of sufficientlength vertically so that, in transit, the-conveyor is notdikely tobecom'e jolted out of place on the carrier bracket.

At the forward end of the vehicle as shown in Fig. l, asuitable bracketB is erected as on the supporting bars of the bumper 5. The bracket Bmay comprise a pair of upright structurally flanged members, i one ofwhich is shown at 63, a 'top cross member 64 secured to the uprights anddiagonal braces, one of which is indicated at 55. Therear ends of thebraces may be attached to the adjacent fender or some other convenientpoint.

-It will be noted that in the supported position of the motor mountmember l3 the flange BI underhangs the'cross bar 3| due to elevation ofthe front end of the conveyor so that the rear end of the conveyor maybe locked by said flange against being bounced out of supported positionon the bracket A. Rearward bodily movement of the conveyor may beprevented by the provision of a suitable abutment, not shown, betweenthe conveyor frame and the bracket B. Such a lug could be providedsimilarly to the lug 51 of Fig. 1 which latter lug, aswell as does theflange 6|, tends to prevent forward jolting movement of the conveyor.

In order to remove the conveyor Ill from the carrying position ofitshown by Fig. 1 the forward end of the conveyor is picked up by hand andswung about the pivot pin 2| of the bracket mechanism A as for exampleto the swung position of the conveyor with reference to the truck I,shown on Figs. 2 and 3, and the forward end set down on suitable legs orprops (not shown) or directly on the ground. Thereupon the crank 44 isslipped over the projecting end of the shaft 40 and the rear end of theconveyor lifted by the winch until the web and flange Bil, 6| are inapproximately the full line illustrated position shown in Fig. 4. Theconveyor is then moved lengthwise of itself forwardly of the truck todisalign the flange 6| and the cross bar 3!. Thereupon the ratchet 53 isreversed as to the broken line indicated position of the tail piece 55or maintained as by one hand of the operator in position to release theratchet wheel50, and the cable paid out gradually by means of the cranktolower the wheels l2 of the conveyor to the ground. It will be notedthat in the horizontally swung position of the conveyor l0 according toFig. 2, which is ample'to allow the forward end of the conveyor to beset down, the crank clears the adjacent side of the body 1 a sufficientdistance to enable the continued rotation of the crank in lifting orlowering the conveyor withoutinterference'with the truck body.

After the conveyor has been used to remove the load from the dump body,the conveyor is remounted on the bracket with the bracket in the samehorizontally swung position as before (Figs. 2 and 3) and. the hook 38reconnected with the flange 6|, of the motor mount. Thereupon theratchet pawl is positioned as illustrated in full lines allowing thecrank to be turned in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4to enable hoisting of the conveyor to carrying position. After the motormount l3 has been moved approximately to the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 4 the conveyor is moved bodily rearwardly, as by hand,unit the flange 6| will again pass into the converging pocket behind thesupporting bar 3| as the winch cable is paid out by a clockwise rotationof the crank. The hook 38 remains in hooked position on the flange GI,being held in that position by the ratchet pawl in readiness forre-dismounting of the conveyor.

It will be seen that when the forward the conveyor Ill is swung tocarrying position on end of the bracket B, all portions of the bracket Aare then beneath the truck body 6 and that the conveyor itself does notproject'beyond the lateral limits of said ance for the'crank in theparticular relationship of thebracket A andtruck body 6 is only affordedin the swung position of the conveyor Shown by Fig. 2, or with theforward end of the conveyor moved between that position and the carryingposition, the arrangement nevertheless enables the conveyor to besupported at its rear end while swung any desired distance from thefront toward the rear through at least The advantage is that. sometimesit is desired to suspend the rear end of the conveyor as on the hook 38in a swung position of the conveyor considerably rearwardly from thatillustrated by Fig. 2. While the crank could not be moved through acomplete rotation in thus temporarily suspending the rear end of theconveyor it can, when necessary, be'moved as by attachment andre-attachment of the crankin different turned positions on the shaft. 40to positions so as to lift the rear end of the conveyor a sufficientamount a to suspend said end off the ground. After the conveyor has beenswung forwardly approximate- 1y to the position shown by Fig. 2, it canthen be further hoisted by full rotations of the crank and. fully seatedinto carrying position.

. I claim:

1.. A side carrier for supporting one end of an elongated loader on avehicle, comprising a bracket, hoisting means thereon operable, when thebracket is in operating position on the vehicle, to lift and supportsaid end of the loader free of the bracket and in position for movementof the loader bodily relative to the bracket selectively to depositthesaid end in a carrying position on the bracket andto remove said end ofthe loader from the bracket, and means constituting a substantiallyvertical pivot arranged to support the bracket in said operatingposition wherein the bracket is 1 in dependent relation to the vehicleand for swinging movement in a horizontal plane from a loading positionto a carrying position when thebracket is supported in said operatingposition. I

2. In a carrier for one end of an elongated loader which loader has ahook at one end, said carrier being adapted to bemounted in dependingposition on a supporting vehicle, means constituting an upwardly openguide in fixed position relative to the carrier and operable forreceiving the hook and supportingsaid end thereby, and hoistingmechanism on the carrier arranged selectively to pick up and lower saidone end of the elongated loader and to support the said end of theloader for movement bodily relative to the carrier into position forengaging the hook with the guide and for removing it from the guide.

3. In a carrier for one end of an elongated loader which loader has ahook atone end, said carrier being adapted to be mounted in dependingposition on a supporting vehicle and comprising structural membersforming a triangular frame with spaced apart sides for receiving thehook between them, and means connecting the sides and forming therewitha hook receiving guide which is open upwardly for receiving the hook,and hoisting mechanism on the carrier arranged selectively to pick upand lower said one end of the elongated loader for lowering the hookinto and removing it from the guide.

4. In a carrier for one end of an elongated body. While the operatingclearloader which loader has a depending. hook. at said end, saidcarrier being adapted to be mounted for horizontal swinging movement, ona supp r in vehicle, means constituting an upwardly open guide forreceiving the. hook downwardly, and, hoisting mechanism on the. carrierarranged to pick up the said end of the elongated loader and operable tosupport said end of the loader for movement of the loader bodilyrelatively toward and away from the carrier,and operable to lower thehook intoand to remove it from the guide.

5. As part of a sidecarrier for an elongated load, a bracket having atop plate and twosets. of downwardly converging side frame members,means interconnecting the sets of frame membersi-n spaced relationship,a plate connecting two of the members and extending downwardly towardthe point of convergence of themembers and a cross bar connectingmembers of. both sets and adapted to support one end of such elongatedload in carrying position, saidcross bar forming with the downwardlyextending plate and side frame members an upwardly open receiving andpositioning guide for a depending end part of such'elongated load. a

6'. In combination with an auto truck and body of the class described, adepending bracket on the body substantially in laterally non-projectingrelation thereto and swingable in a generally horizontal plane, and ahoist on the bracket for detachably engaging and moving bodily one endof an elongated loader into carrying position on the bracket. I

7. In combination with an auto truck and body of the class described, adepending bracket on the body swingable in a substantially horizontalplane, a hoist on the bracket for moving one end of an elongated loadinto carrying position on the bracket, and arack on the truck forsupporting the opposite end of the elongated load in carrying position.

8. A side carrier for supporting an end of an elongated loader on asupporting vehicle having a body and comprising a bracket, pivot meansconnected thereto and adapted to be secured to the body and operative,when so secured, to support the bracket in dependent relation to thebody for swinging movement about an upright axis, a support on thebracket adapted to receive and detachably support an end of the loader,hoist mechanism on the bracket and movable therewith, and includingmeans detachably engageable with said end of the loader for hoistingsaid end of the loader and operable to support said end for bodilymovement into and out of engagement with the support.

9. In combination, a vehicle having a body, a bracket, upright pivotmeans connecting the bracket to the vehicle and supporting the bracketin dependent relation to the body and for swinging movement about anupright axis, a support on the bracket adapted to receive and detachablysupport an end; of an elongated loader, hoist mechanism on the bracketand movable therewith and including means detachablyengageable with saidend of the loader for hoisting said end and operable to support said endfor bodily movement into and out of engagement with the support, andadditional means on the vehicle engageable, with said loader at aportion spaced from said end and operable for detachably supporting saidloader at said portion when said end is engaged with said support.

10. A part of a side carrier for an elongated loader, a bracketincluding a top plate adapted to be supported in depending relation to avehicle body and operable when so supported to swing about an uprightaxis, two sets of side frame members connected to the top plate anddepending therefrom, a cross bar connecting the sets of members at alocation spaced below the top plate and adapted to support detachablyone end of said loader in carrying position,

therewith and with the side frame members an upwardly open receiving andpositioning guide for said end of the loader.

- JASPER G. TULLIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS,

Number Name Date 1,296,615 Bly Mar. 11, 19,19 1,403,084v James Jan. 10,1922 1,441,595, Miller Jan. 9, 1923 1,500,225 Bornshein July 8, 19241,544,477 Palotce June 30, 1,925 1,626,122 Smith Apr. 26, 1927 2,056,875Wheeler Oct. 6, 1936 2,093,300 Adams et al Sept. 14, 1937 2,321,549Holmes June 8, I943 FOREIGN PATENTS. Number Country Date,

670,577 Germany Jan. 20, 1939

